In late 2009, PopSugar Media conducted a study on Generation Y women, “Why Y Women” ( www.sugarinc.com/
Why YWomen). ;e Y generation are,
primarily, the children of the Baby Boom
generation (born between the mid-1970s
and early 1990s), and, in the U.S., are
estimated to number about 70 million
men and women, or 20% of the population
(according to the U.S. Census Bureau
information utilized for the report). It is
the largest generation since the Boomers.
According to the published study, this
group is ethnically diverse, extremely
independent, and adept at navigating
new technologies and media platforms.
;ey are also thought to be more socially
conscious than the older Generation X,
and are less inclined to draw a distinct line
between their personal and professional
lives, seeking instead to ;nd jobs that are
meaningful and spiritually rather than
;nancially rewarding.

;ey are also highly in;uential in terms ofspending. Harris Interactive estimates thatGen Y spent more than $120 billion in 2007.According to a May 2008 Nielsen report,U.S. households with at least one memberof Gen Y account for 37% of total dollarsspent and 31% of total trips, and spend 15%more than the average household. And thetwo-tier study examines Y women’s sphereof in;uence on lifestyle trends. It also looksat how they are, in turn, in;uenced by theirmedia consumption. How do they shop?How do they share? How do they respondto advertising? Additionally, the PopSugarMedia study examines how technology andsocial media help them expand their sphereof in;uence, and provides insight into howmarketers need to target and communicatewith this group.

Key Takeaways

• Gen Y Women Have Rede;ned
“Authenticity.” While Gen Y women tend
to be skeptical of marketing messages,
they respond to brands and messages they
perceive as authentic. What has changed for
this generation is the de;nition of authentic.
While Gen X and Boomers sought insight
and brand approval from experts, Gen Y
women rely more heavily on their peers to
determine a brand’s authenticity. One of the
key di;erences for this generation is how
they de;ne their peer group, which not
only includes their real-life friends and co-workers, but also online friends, blog writers
and anonymous reviewers.

• ;ey Exert Brand In;uence on Older
Women. It is no surprise, according to the
report, that Gen Y women see themselves
as in;uential trendsetters. What is more
surprising is that two-thirds of Gen X
women also look to Gen Y women to de;ne
trends in popular culture. Gen Y women are
not just in;uencing each other—they are
also impacting the shopping behaviors of
women a generation older.

“We have to get in touch with our consumers. We’re looking for the most efficient ways possible to reach consumers. But for any company that prides itself on innovation, that wants to create not just new brands but also new categories of products, we’re going to have to communicate with people. While people increasingly will do it digitally, there’s no question that everybody won’t be ready for digital communications until deep into the future.” “P&G CEO Bob McDonald on Why Size Doesn’t Matter” —Bob McDonald, chairman and CEO, P&G nAdvertising Age, January 18, 2010